Gun Review: Taurus G2C 9mm Pistol

There’s nothing wrong with cheap and cheerful, which is exactly what this Taurus G2C review is about. The G2C is an inexpensive handgun, to be sure, but don’t write it off too hastily. It actually has a lot more to offer than you’d think.

Taurus renamed the PT111 Millennium G2 as the G2C (for “compact”), then dumped the PT709 Slim and created a single-stack variant of the G2 dubbed the G2S, for “slim.” For those wondering, the name is the only thing that’s different.

Some might accuse Taurus of crossing PT111 G2 out and writing G2C in crayon, and that’s exactly what happened. But then again, who cares? This isn’t a pistol you buy because of what’s written on the slide; you buy it because (let’s face it) of what’s written on the price tag.

And how.

The G2Cis a lightweight subcompact double-stack pistol, offering 12+1 capacity in a svelte and slight package years before the SIG P365 came on the market. The frame is black polymer, with textured panels on the front, rear and sides of the grip, with thumb relief divots on the grip and finger indexing divots on the frame above the trigger guard.

The slide can be had in matte black or matte stainless. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the gun I tested at the rental range, so you’ll just have to make do with stock images. You can say mean things about that in the comments if you like, but my feelings will only be hurt if said comments are a paraphrase or parody of Rush lyrics. Otherwise, they will be disregarded, so I hope you’ve dined on honeydew and drunk the milk of paradise.

The gun formerly known as the Taurus PT111 G2 (courtesy mfr)

This gun actually has more features than you’d expect for the price. The magazine catch is reversible if desired, and there’s a Picatinny rail for mounting an accessory. The rear sights are adjustable and the front sight is a fixed post. This is a conventional three white dots set-up. The sights are bigger than you’d expect for such a small gun, though not oversized, and easily acquired.

The top of the slide (forward of the ejection port) is melted, with a loaded chamber indicator atop said slide.

courtesy mfr

The gun has a party piece in that it has second-strike capability, rare in striker-fired pistols. Taurus bills it as DA/SA, but it isn’t like actual double-action striker pistols such as the Walther P99 or Canik TP9. Those guns have something like an 8- to 10-lb DA pull if the trigger is de-cocked; the Taurus does not. Single-action, if you want to call it that, offers no resistance but smooth take-up until it stacks and breaks at the end of the trigger stroke, at about 5 lbs. The double-action trigger pull stroke feels like about 6 lbs from front to back.

Reset is not the most audible nor tactile, but isn’t bad. While it’s far from a great trigger, it’s plenty usable and also barely any “worse” than many other striker pistol triggers. I’d rate it about equal to the bangswitch on base model XD and most factory Glock pistols, which I have always found to be lackluster.

courtesy mfr

The G2C has a tabbed trigger, much like other striker guns, and also comes with a manual safety on the left side of its polymer frame. That’s in addition to the usual trigger safety. The magazine release and slide release are on the left side, and there are two takedown tabs much like many other striker pistols.

What about shooting this thing?

The Taurus G2C is obviously quite light, but the recoil impulse is softer than you’d expect. Loaded, it balances well in the hand and isn’t too snappy, about on par with an M&P Shield.

A small confession: I haven’t been to the range for a while, mostly due to the holidays and other demands on my time. (Being a grown-up sucks, and I would recommend anyone avoid it if at all possible.) As shooting is a perishable skill, I was not incredibly accurate. By the end of my range session, I had progressed from completely hopeless to minute of 6-inch plate at 10 yards.

Credit: Me! Good lord that was some lousy shooting. I got cute trying to print some groups on the head and the small square and tragedy obviously ensued. I don’t claim to be an IPSC grandmaster or anything anyhow.

I would say this gun is capable of better accuracy than its compact size would suggest, though perhaps not surgical precision. It’s definitely accurate enough for a carry gun.

I ran 115-grain Blazer FMJ brass and American Eagle Syntech 115-grain hardball through the G2C 9mm, with no failures to feed or eject so I don’t have any doubts about its reliability. It’s not rated for use with +P ammunition, though I doubt a limited diet would stress it too badly.

People might sneer because of the name on the slide, but is there any reason to? I’m not fully convinced there is.

A M&P Shield will probably cost about $100 more than the G2C in most stores. A compact to subcompact GLOCK 9mm (26, 43) is about $200 more than the Taurus. In terms of comfort, accuracy and how they feel to shoot, are those pistols worth the premium over the Taurus? Having shot a few Shields and a few GLOCKs…I’m not completely convinced they are.

Accuracy * * * 1/2
Admittedly, my shooting was TERRIBLE, but by the end of my range session, it was obvious that it’s more accurate than the price tag would suggest.

Reliability * * * 1/2
150 rounds with no failures to feed or eject. Arguably not a real test of reliability, but it ran without a hitch.

Ergonomics * * * 1/2
Better than you’d think, but not outstanding. That said, it gives you a fuller grip than other pistols of the same size such as the Glock 26 and Shield with flush-fit magazines.

Customize This *
You can get aftermarket sights for it and that’s about it. Some replacement parts (springs and a steel guide rod) can be had through Lakeland LLC, but outside of that it’s OEM or nothing.

Aesthetics * * 1/2
Name me a good-looking black plastic pistol. Go ahead; I’ll wait. It’s not ugly, but it’s not overly attractive either. Then again, the thing about poly striker guns is they’re workhorses first and foremost, so something tells me that’s not what buyers are concerned with.

Overall * * * *
I know that sounds crazy, but give me a second here. On the gun itself, I’d give it three stars. It isn’t spectacular, but it’s reasonably accurate and easy enough to shoot. Aftermarket support is pitiful. But relative to the price point, it’s more comfortable to hold and shoot than it should be. It’s also more accurate than it should be. The trigger is on par with other semi-automatics that have more allegedly respectable names and price tags that are double (or more) than the G2C’s. If I absolutely had to buy a gun for less than $300, there’s a very good chance this is the one I come home with.

Slide not mag dump approved? Yeah I wondered at that verbiage as well, a melted side seems to be a problem. Maybe a typo? Or do they mean it is super curvy design, all “melts together” but I would think the Taurus Curve would get the melted description. Maybe deeply beveled would be a better term?

G2c has several small differences, stippling in the grip pads, taurus emblem changed, no Hillary hole in the g2c, different trigger group, differences in the way the slide meets the frame, second strike capabilities, blah blah blah, but it’s not the pt111, it’s a different model with a lot of the same parts and looks.

I bought a Taurus 605, despite all the internet wisdom saying that Taurus is trash. I have to be honest, I’ve been completely satisfied with it. Accurate and totally reliable! Also, I lost my crane screw and Taurus service was excellent (again, dispute the gun-store/internet experts on the subject). Sent me two replacements free of charge, after a 3 minute phone call.

Taurus has really turned it around in recent years and I’m glad people are finally figuring it out!

As mentioned by Me( not me) this is a different gun than the G2. I believe the “glock” trigger safety is one solid piece so it won’t break too. Also the “new” Gs is thicker than my perfect 709. Mainly the warranty sux NOW…however I’ve seen this for sale for 179.95 at Point Blank so it’d be a good backup. Honest Outlaw on YouTube called it one of the top guns of 2018(!). I’ve also seen lots of report’s of Ruger’s cheap guns failing(EC9s & Security 9) but the fanboys just say “Ruger will fix it”😏

I’ve never owned a Taurus before, but a friend owned a G2C, and liked it once we got it sighted in (an adjustible rear sight is useful). I couldn’t refuse when I saw one at Point Blank for $178.88 ($192 and change with tax).

I don’t like striker fired guns, and find this trigger as bad as most, but it does have a fairly short reset. I used the 2nd strike capability once, and twice had the slide fail to lock back until I learned to get one of my thumbs down more from the slide lock button. Now in total, I’ve got about 350 rounds with no failures to feed or eject. So far, I would feel confident carrying it once I shoot another 200 rounds or so of various self-defense rounds.
It’s not super accurate, but compares favorably with my Shield (which doesn’t fit my hand very well).

I like my G2 a lot, but there is a REASON that it has a manual safety on the left side. Like the PT709, the G2 IS SINGLE ACTION: FULLY COCKED WHEN RACKED! That is why the trigger pull is soft; that trigger pull is LONG as a safety feature for people who don’t read the manual. These guns are only double action for the second-strike capability, if the round fails to fire. Once it does fire it goes back to SINGLE ACTION……………………………elsullo

I have an FFL and have worked with Taurus now on 2 separate cases regarding PT111 warranty repairs. Frankly I thought they did a very good job of handling things with us.

The first was a friend who sent it in and didn’t hear anything after a few months and was unable to find out anything. He asked if I knew anyone. I didn’t but sent an email in to them That got someone on the phone with my friend in under 2 hours. They were working on replacing his firearm and were awaiting stock. They sent him a brand new G2C right about when they said they would.

The second was a customer who brought in his gun to send back as apparently he was told we are an authorized dealer for repairs (imagine my surprise – LOL). I contacted Taurus with his case number. They sent me a prepaid shipping label to return it. I received email confirmation that it was received and was told it would be 3-4 months to repair. We received it back this week and returned it to the customer.

In both cases, I felt that Taurus did a very good job of supporting their customers. At our FFL we have sold/transferred quite a fair number of them in the last year and none have come back yet. My very first firearm was a Taurus .38 spl back in college. I purchased an ultralight one recently out of nostalgia and I couldn’t be happier with it. Nice little gun for a low cost.

I would like to see TTAG do an evaluation on the Bersa BP9CC. I have two and they work just fine and are very accurate with the only problem being that they need to be cleaned more often because of the outside finish is more prone to rust then a Glock finish is.

“Reliability * * * 1/2
150 rounds with no failures to feed or eject. Arguably not a real test of reliability, but it ran without a hitch.”

What would it take to actually get the 5 stars here then? Being able to fire 200 rounds with no failures to feed or eject when only loading it with 150 rounds? It doesn’t make sense to only give 3.5 here when there were no issues.

I don’t think any gun can or should get 5 stars. Doing so is saying it’s perfect as far as reliability goes, and I dont think any gun exists thst is. 4.5 sounds like the right rating if it didn’t fail after a good number of rounds.

the whole point of having a scale of any sort is that it’s possible to archive top and bottom of the scale. The scale being 5, if 5 cannot be achieved, the rating is invalid. As the writer mentions, it’s arguably not a good test. Then what would be a good test?

The purpose is not perfection, but we rate based on comparisons with other guns. Ratings serve to give us this comparison. If the sample size is too small, as mentioned, that’s one thing, but if the gun performs at the top of everything else it’s compared to, it should get the highest marks.

150 rounds? I shoot that in under an hour at the range. That’s 3 boxes of ammo. Not a particularly large hurdle. In fact, if I had even one malfunction in 150 rounds I’d be tempted to give a pistol 0/5. Using 150 as a reliability test reeks of those people who buy a gun, shoot it once, throw it in a drawer, and then race about how great a firearm it was.

I don’t mean to come off as a snob, but I shoot at least 200 rounds per week (and consider myself a mediocre shooter) so 150 rounds proves almost nothing.

I’ve seen jam o matics that can’t finsib one mag much less 150. That said it seems light for a review. At least 500 with 1000 being the standard.

I’ve only owned one Taurus. The 709. It’s my wife’s gun. I maybe have 300 rounds through it, as it’s not a fun fire arm to shoot by any measure. It’s only had problems with amp that also jammed in two of my other guns so I think I just got a bad box of 100.

I’ve heard bad reviews of many of the striker fired Taurus guns. The 709 and the G2 have not been badly reviewed. Also the second gen 24/7 seamed like a really good gun, I might buy one if cheap enough.

The military requires a gun to go 2000 mean rounds before stoppage and 10k between failures. Of course this is with ONE type of ammo and I’m sure they inspect the ammo prior to testing. So
If a gun makes it through 1000 rounds without fail I feel pretty good.

This is a pretty good gun for anyone thinking of buying it. I do shoot mine slightly to the right on occasion because there is a bit of a snap sometimes right at the end of the trigger pull (something to do with the lever safety in the trigger getting stuck for a microsecond, doesn’t happen every time) but at 15 yards it’s still within a 6 inch circle so no complaints for the price:)

I have a G2 , bought a second for my son and a buddy at work has one too, all 3 have functioned flawlessly for over 2 years and probably about 1000 rounds between them, can’t be beat for the money, about the only thing you can get cheaper is a high point and they don’t even come close in quality, reliability or looks. I own 2 other taurus guns a 454 raging bull and a pt99, never had a problem with either of them

I have a PT-111 G2 in my carry rotation (actually have 2, since I found the second one on sale for $189). Never had an issue with either of them and I have certified both for carry. One has about 1000 rounds thru it and the other has about 2500. Not a single issue. But I keep hearing Taurus makes junk!

Have a PT111 and a G2C, with about 800 rounds through each, using all sorts of ammo. Not one…not one…issue with either gun. Spent less than $400 altogether for the two. What more can you ask? Luv ’em, luv ’em, luv ’em.

I PURCHASED THE TAURUS P111 GEN 2 AND I LOVE IT! IT FIRES NICE AND SMOOTH AND I HAVE A LASER ATTACHMENT THAT FITS THE PICINNEY RAIL, TAURUS MAKES A GOOD HANDGUN,I ALSO HAVE THE SPRINGFIED XDM 3.8 AND A BERETTA PIETRO, AND I PREFER THE TAURUS OVER MY OTHER HANDGUNS AND MINE COMES WITH A LIFETIME WARRANTY, SO SAY WANT YOU WANT TAURUS P111 GEN 2 IS MY FAVORITE HANDGUN AND I USE ALL ALIEN GEAR HOLSTER SYSTEMS FOR MY HANDGUNS AND I’M VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT I OWN.

Ruger is my go to brand; 100% American down to the raw materials. Don’t forget Rugged & Reliable. My one experience when a gun needed to go Ruger was a total of 10 days,counting shipping time both ways & prepaid shipping. A magazine problem & the wrong grips on a revovler were handled over the phone, parts in hand in 3 days. Know people who waited 6 months for service from Taurus. I recently took a chance on a Heritage .22 revovlver (Taurus owned) & like it so far. Bought from Davidson’s because of their lifetime warranty that replaces the gun if it can not be fixed. Mostly for use with shot shells, but has been a fun plinker that is accurate (6.5″ barrel). Thought I might buy the new Spectrum, but hated the size/shape of the trigger guard & the horrible hard, gritty trigger pull; got another LCP instead.

I realize the reviewer may be strapped for time. Yet to perform a reasonable review he should have at least read the instruction sheet that comes with the firearm. In it he will learn that the G2c is rated for +P ammo. Taurus does not recognize +P+ ammo And rates anything above SAMMI pressures as +P. The G2c IS rated for +P ammo. – Obbie
BTW,

I came here to say the same thing. All Taurus 9mm luger handguns are rated for +P. I’ve shot probably 500+ rounds and at least a full box of +P through my PT111 G2 with only one issue where the gun wouldn’t go into battery. I believe it was an issue with the range ammo since it fed an entire box afterwards. Good gun.

The Taurus Lifetime Warranty doesn’t mean much. By the time you pay for shipping and insurance, you may be able to just pay a local gunsmith to fix it. Or, just add a little money for another brand up front.

This was the case with my Taurus Model 66 357 that would lock up after a cylinder or two. I sent it to Taurus. Received it a few weeks later…with the barrel canted to about the 1 o’clock position. Their solution, I assume, was to unscrew the barrel a little. I took the Taurus to my local gunsmith. For $40, he fixed my problem. This is less than shipping and insurance to send it to Taurus. I, immediately, traded it to him on a Smith Model 60. Told him he could have it for the repair cost. Being a good guy, he gave me more.

I can forgive a production gun having issues. It happens. However, when a Taurus gunsmith puts his hands and eyes on a returned gun, I’d expect better.
I will never buy another Taurus for that reason. I don’t care how good the price is.

I personally have one and it’s been flawless. The trigger is weird, but not bad; feels pretty much like a Glock trigger, once you take up the slack. The reset on mine is plenty perceptible to produce quick follow up shots. I liked mine so much it has become a favored 21st bday gift and all of those have also been flawless. I know 3 other people who have had the same experience. This is a fine pistol. Plus, it’s less than half the cost of a G19 and only 3 rounds down. It’s WAY smaller, in reality, it is very easy to conceal. As far as Taurus’ new warranty is concerned, that is also now the same as Glock. I have a 19X that I really like as well to compare it by. I alternate between the 2 on carry, depending on how tight my pants are, (ha!). After 3 years on the PT111G2, at least a couple thousand rounds, I have no worries when carrying it.

I have a PT111 G2 and it fits me fine and works well. No it’s not a glock but it’s not $500 either.
I thought about trading it at one point until I heard the trade price…$125??!
But given the fact I pd only $200 for mine I suppose that’s about the trade value.

Frankly I’m tired of people knocking these guns when most dont even own one, and if all mine’s worth is $125 I’ll just keep it and be happy with it.

I bought a PT111 G2 when they first came out, and then another one when the price was under $180, and a third when they were on sale again. One is new in the box, just looked over and the glops of oil cleaned off, the second has maybe 1000 rounds through it without any issues, and the third has modified sights a Lakeline recoil spring and a modded striker bushing, and it has over 2000 through it with a single jam on the third round fired from it. I had a Shield for a while and sold it, I like the 111 G2 better!

A friend has a G2C with about 1500 rounds through it without any issues. These guns are winners all the way around.

Bought my wife a S&W Shield in 9mm(performance center model) and I picked up a G2C($179.00 on sale). While the G2C is no S&W, Sig, Kimber or Beretta it is a fine little pistol with a lot of good points. I haven’t had one bit of a problem with failure to fire/eject. I’ve even mixed FMJ and HP in the same mag…even with different weights and brands. Not one problem. Taurus has come a long way over the past 10 years or so and their customer service has improved from the substandard service of years ago…at least from what I remember.